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Longhorn 70.3 Race Report: Kim Mathers

This is my AMAZING friend Kim's race report from Ironman Austin 70.3
This girl! THIS GIRL! I'm so stinking proud of her, y'all don't even know! I met Kim WAYYYY back when C25k first started. We quickly became friends and while she thinks that I've inspired her into all this, truth is SHE inspires ME to KEEP doing all this <---- TRUTH
I am SO lucky and proud to be a part of her special day, heck, her life period! And I can't WAIT for our next adventure!

Longhorn 70.3 Race Report

The weekend started out on Friday, October 24th with one last chiropractor adjustment and athlete check in before picking up my family and support group from the airport. It was a good chirpractor visit and the doc said I was in as good of shape as he had seen me. I had started regular visits 2-3 times a week while I battled IT band issues. Athlete check in went well and I got to visit with Lisa McCombs and friends afterwards. Off to pick up the family! Angie, Patty and my mom all flew in from Mississippi help Anissa cheer me on during the race. Day ended out at the lake watching the sunset and getting some grub with the family and Lisa. It was a good day and my spirits were high!

Saturday, October 25th was prep day. I spent the day follow the race prep that my coach, Carrie and I had written. So much easier to prep with a written plan...keeps the forgetting to a minimum. Loaded my bike and my transition bags, got the family ready and off we went to check in the bike and bags at T1 and T2. No problems except the realization that we racked like sardines. I grabbed a glance at the swim course...damn do those yellow buoys ever stop going out before the turn? LOL The family met me at T2 cause they were scoping out were to place the tent during the run portion. After checking my run bag in at T2, I headed to the 3pm meeting. Nothing new really except for the fear of God put in me about drafting penalties...this guy is serious! Finally, off to eat my spaghetti! Nerves were fine and I was able to eat a good dinner and get to bed around 9pm.

Sunday, October 26th, I was up bright and early at 4am. No problems sleeping and no problems getting my breakfast down (the usual peanut butter sandwich and 1 cup of coffee). Main concern was out of the way...yep I pooped! Whoop, Whoop! I was dressed and ready. Angie braided my hair which was a nice addition. Usually I just throw it up in a pony tail cause I can't braid hair! I grabbed my nutrition and water bottles and I was ready to roll. Anissa and I headed out the door as scheduled at 5:15am.

Once we got to the race and parked, we grabbed a bus and headed to T1. It was a bit chilly but not bad and the spirits were great on the bus ride. Off the bus and into T1, I went to pump up my tires and sit my stuff out for transition. I chatted with people in T1 and let people use my bike pump. About 30 minutes till transition closed I decided to leave and use the bathroom and find Lisa. I started snacking on a Cliff Bar and continued to drink water. Around 7:20 am I took 2 Metasalt pills and put my sleeveless wet suit on. Anissa was such a good sherpa! She would hold things, hand me things, and tell me what I needed to hear! Our friend, Kathleen, had show up too and was giving me the "You will do great!" statement too. Finally, time to head to the water.

Swim start was beautiful! Picture perfect with sunrise and the fog rolling off the water. The group went as far as they could then it was just Trish and I headed to the swim start. I was calm and ready to start. I had trained well and I was going to enjoy the day! I entered the water and stayed at the back of the swim wave. While we waited to start I got a last pee break in cause I can't pee and swim! The first 500yds were not the best cause I needed to warm up but once that was behind me it all was great. I watch the sun come up as I took my breaths...what a gorgeus morning..life is good! I am not going to tell you I didn't get punched, grabbed or swam over because I did and I did some defensive swimming too but for the most part no problems. I was out of the water in 54:41. Not impressed that I had to sit in mud to get my wet suit peeled off...really they couldn't have put down a piece of artificial turf? I didn't rush into or out of T1.

In T1 I put away all my swim stuff in my bag and put on my riding gear. I shoved a hand full of chamois cream down my shorts, grabbed my bike and carried it out of T1. I mounted at the appropriate start point and was off. The temperature was awesome! I had to get my heart rate down and get ready to start my nutrition plan in 15 minutes. Every thing was going as planned and I started my nutrition of liquid CarboPro and water every 15 minutes. During the next 15-20 miles I realized that my nutrition wasn't settling like normal. I tried a GU but still felt like it was all just sitting in my stomach. I stopped at the second aid station as planned to go to the bathroom and grab more water. Trish stopped in and found me. I told her I felt green and was having nutrition problems. She offered up a couple pieces of waffle and I greatfully took her up on it. After I got that in my stomach I perked up and was able to continue with the nutrition plan. Around mile 40 I realized that I should have put some sun block on my lower back cause my top kept riding up and I was burnt. My spirits were great on the bike. I was lucky enought to train on this course so the hills and the wind didn't really bother me. I kept my HR in check and finished the bike in 3:40. I really didn't push on the bike because I knew my hip and IT band had 13.1 miles to run.

Coming into T2, I saw Lisa but missed my family. Found my spot to rack my bike and had to fight to get it racked cause people had spread out! I changed, took 2 more Metasalt pills and got sun block sprayed on me. Heading out on the run, I was worried about my hip and IT but I found my legs and started running. Mile one felt great and paced at 10:31...I needed to slow my roll cause I had 3 laps! The first lap was the hottest to me. The temp had reached 88 so I started packing ice down my top. I walked throught the aid stations and drank I combination of water and cola. The oranges sat well too. On the second and third lap ice was becoming scarce so I grabbed it whenever I could find it. I knew I was hydrating well cause I had to take another pee break. Every lap I saw the family and Lisa...they were cheering me on! The last lap couple miles of the last lap was the roughest for me. My IT band was kind of yelling at me so I would run and walk and run and walk. I made a new friend those last couple of miles and we pushed each other to the finish.

The end was in sight and I became emotional. At 7:26:19 with happy tears falling, I finished my first 70.3! I can't explain all the emotions that I was feeling...it's like nothing I have experienced ever before but I can tell you there will me more races in my future. I will tell you now that good solid training got me through this race. I was lucky enough to not have any mechanical issues but if I had I could have changed either tire and put my chain back on. I had owned my emotions and the reasons I do longer distances. All these factors gave me the opportunity to feel grateful and appreciative that I am able to do these races. The day was beautiful and I felt the love and support of my crew.

Post race I had a chiropractor adjusmtent on Tuesday. Yes, I was sore for a couple of days but really very little damage. My left foot has been tender and I am not sure why because I had no problems with it during the race.

On to the next adventure! Yes, I have a next one but I am going to keep it under wraps for a bit and enjoy the accomplishment of this race.

I am your not so average 38 year old gal tri'ing and traveling my way through life. I am an Endurance Athlete, Ironman, Coach, Marketing Professional, Blogger, Adventurer, and Army Veteran. I race for Team Zoot and my team, Team TOA. Jake and I are currently bouncing around Italy!